‘Green space’ complete

Two streets, alley remain to be paved

City of Hillsboro employees are shown Thursday afternoon laying sod in the “green space” plaza along Governor Trimble Place.

Jeff Gilliland | The Times-Gazette

The final touches were placed on the “green space” plaza Thursday on Governor Trimble Place in Hillsboro, and all that remains to be done is some paving in front of the area, Hillsboro Safety and Service Director Mel McKenzie said.

The final touch was sod put down in the plaza’s three grass areas.

McKenzie said that pretty much completes the green space. But he said the city still plans to pave Governor Foraker Place and Governor Trimble Place, including an alley that runs from the Highland County Administration Building to North West Street. He said that while the paving is being done, the city may try do something to fix a low area at the intersection of the alley and North West Street, where vehicles often scrape their undercarriage.

The paving process was supposed to start Thursday with the pavement on the streets and alley being ground up, then paved Friday. But McKenzie said the city did not want to start that Thursday with rain and cold temperatures in the forecast for Friday.

He said the paving is still tentatively set for this fall, when there remain a couple days with temperatures in the 50s. McKenzie said that will hopefully happen in the next two weeks, weather permitting.

“That’s the reason we wanted to go with sod rather than seeding it and waiting for the grass to come up,” he said.

As previously reported, the green space includes a clock, decorative landscaping, pavers, new street lights, trees and other features.

The project has seen a number of delays, including a delay in the shipment of decorative brick, uncooperative weather and other projects being completed in the area, namely the demolition of a two-story building adjacent to The Times-Gazette offices and roof replacement on the Highland County Courthouse across the street.

When traffic reopens on Governor Foraker Place and Governor Trimble Place, it will be a one-way thoroughfare allowing only eastbound traffic. Parking spaces will remain the same, McKenzie said.

Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522.

City of Hillsboro employees are shown Thursday afternoon laying sod in the “green space” plaza along Governor Trimble Place.